25% of cats in the U.S. are declawed, and a lot of people continue to declaw their cats simply because they are unaware of what the surgery entails – they assume that it is just the removal of the cat’s claws. However, the procedure actually involves removing part of the cat’s bone as well, since the entire last joint has to be cut off, not just the claw. The Paw Project is trying to educate people on the dangers of declawing through their documentary The Paw Project Movie, and cat expert Jackson Galaxy – who calls the surgery “de-knuckling” – described the practice as inhumane and barbaric in his YouTube video “Declawing: Jackson Galaxy Just Says No!” Below are some facts to consider regarding problems with declawing, as well as alternatives that can help you maintain a nice home without hurting a beloved pet.

PROBLEMS

MeLinda Hughes of Merlin’s Hope Ragdoll Rescue has five cats who have all been declawed – and every one of them suffers from various issues as a result. Hughes argues in her article “Declawing Cats: Alternatives, Problems, and More from a Ragdoll Rescue Expert” that declawing cats causes both physical harm and psychological damage, resulting in long term medical and behavioral problems. Her cats experienced everything from arthritis, to spine problems, to anti-social behaviors, and more. As a rescuer, she has noticed that over 50% of the declawed cats who end up in shelters are there because of behavior issues related to declawing.

Hughes’s story is part of a large body of anecdotal evidence demonstrating the negative effects of cat clawing (include mention of/link to the facebook post?). But not only cat owners have noticed these issues; experts in addition to Jackson Galaxy are speaking out as well. Holistic veterinarian Jean Hofve, DMV, expounded on the topic and listed many problems associated with the procedure in her article “Declawing: A Rational Look”:

Surgical Issues – As with any procedure, there is always the risk of mistakes: tourniquet problem, inexperience, an off day, bad technique, or a positioning issue could all cause complications such as irreversible nerve damage. Some suggest that laser declawing is a less messy alternative, but laser surgery still does not reduce the amount of pain that a cat experiences.

Complications During Recovery – Cats can experience issues such as claws growing back or abscesses up to several years after the surgery, and they might even experience permanent or occasional lameness for the rest of their lives. One study followed declawed cats 5 months after their surgery and found that almost 1/3 of the cats experienced some sort of complication.

Death – In extreme cases, cats can even die as a result of anesthesia complications or profuse bleeding. Cats who end up in shelters as a result of behavior issues might also be likely to be put down. Abandoned cats also run the risk of being stolen for use in laboratories or as bait for training fighting dogs.

Chronic Pain – Cats might not be able to express their pain in human terms, but signs such as half closed eyes, pulled back whiskers, and a reluctance to place weight on their paws are all evidence of the post surgical pain they experience. In addition, we can infer from human amputation experiences that cats probably experience “phantom” sensations—including pains—in their missing joints, which can last a lifetime. Physiologically, this makes perfect sense, since cats’ nervous systems are very similar to humans’. Some owners of declawed cats have noticed that their cats still scratch at scratching posts even though they are declawed, possibly as a result of the phantom sensations of their missing joint and claw.

Arthritis/Joint Problems – Another possible explanation of a cat’s tendency to continue to scratch after declawing is that it is a desperate attempt to stretch contracted tendons. Once a cat is declawed, their joints retract and remain retracted for the rest of their life. Anatomically, cats are built to walk resting a lot of their weight on their toes, so surgery requires cats to shift their weight back to the pads of their feet. This unnatural posture can cause stress on their spine and leg joints, leading to joint damage and arthritis in multiple places.

Behavioral Issues – Some experts, including Jackson Galaxy, cite biting issues as a negative result of declawing. Cats use their claws as one of their first lines of defense, but when they realize that this is not available to them, they might turn to biting as their next best way of reacting to unpleasant situations or trying to get attention—which then defeats the purpose of getting a cat declawed to stop them from harming people. In addition to biting issues, many cat owners complain of a variety of psychological changes in their cat after the surgery, such as anti-social, fearful, and depressed behavior.

Urination Problems – Statistics support the idea that cats who have been declawed have more litter box issues (95% of declawed cats, according to one survey), because walking on the litter becomes painful to the cats’ altered feet and they are unable to dig to eliminate waste. Again, this defeats the purpose of getting cats declawed to prevent material damage to a house, as urine can damage carpets, subfloors, and drywall.

Mistreatment and Abandonment – Sometimes cats who experience the side effects of declawing, such as behavior issues or litter box problems, can be neglected, abused, or gotten rid of by their owners. They might be sent to a shelter, locked in a specific part of the house, or exiled outdoors – where they are no longer able to protect themselves from predators because they are without their natural defenses and unable to climb to escape danger. There is no way of knowing how many of the cats in shelters ended up there because of declawing problems, but it is a pattern that rescuers have noticed, and clearly contradicts the claim made by many veterinarians that declawing keeps cats in good homes.

There are a lot of psychological and health problems associated with cat declawing, and the negative side effects sometimes even counteract the purpose of the surgery in the first place.

ALTERNATIVES

If you are concerned about your cat scratching humans or damaging your house and furniture, there are other ways of dealing with these issues that simply require a little research and perhaps some training. Here are a few common alternatives to declawing, as suggested in the Jackson Galaxy article “Cats and Claws – Living Happily Ever After”:

Clipping
Clipping a cat’s nails regularly is one simple solution to the scratching problem. Cats might not enjoy the process at first, but start when the cats are young and work to clip the sharp tip on a weekly basis so that they will become used to it. If your cat tries to escape, consider wrapping them in a towel and gently taking out one paw at a time to clip the claws, pressing your thumb on the paw gently until the claws are splayed. Avoid the dark center of the claw, as this is the quick, and will cause pain and bleeding if clipped. Be sure also that your clippers are not dull, as this can crush the nail.

Scratching Posts
We now know from recent insights into cat behavior and psychology that scratching is a natural urge for cats. Consider getting them a scratching post, a cat condo, or a cat tree, and training them to use these instead of scratching household objects. It is important to try to find the best option for your cat’s preferences—for instance, there are horizontal cardboard scratchers for cats who tend to scratch carpet, small ramps for cats who like to scratch furniture, and upright post that simulate trees—which is what cats often want to scratch in the first place. Pay attention as well to the material of the post, aiming for what most resembles what the cat likes to scratch.

Deterrents
Sometimes you can put something on the furniture that deters a cat from wanting to scratch it. You might use scents, such as certain pheromones or some lemon/lime water since most cats do not like the smell of citrus. You can also put something on the surface, such as tin foil or Sticky Paws, a product that functions like double sided tape and is unpleasant for the cat to touch.

Soft Claws or Soft Paws
This is another product just for cats, and is useful for cats who refuse to use a scratching post. They are nail caps that a groomer or vet can put on, but pet owners can also learn to do it themselves. The only downside to this option is that they need to be replaced every few weeks, which can get expensive if you do not learn to replace them yourself.

Check out the article “Do Not Declaw Your Cat(s), Ever!” for more information on declawing and solutions to getting a cat to stop scratching floors and furniture.

A major part of getting your cat to stop scratching where you do not want them to is training, which requires, a lot of time, patience, and positive reinforcement. Declawing a cat might be a more expedient option, but it is definitely not the most humane, effective, or even cost efficient solution to scratching problems. Many vets and breeders are even coming around to this conclusion, and as a result many vets are refusing to do the procedure and breeders are asking owners to sign contracts not to declaw their cats. As the side effects of declawing are becoming more and more publicized, educate yourself on what you might be doing to your cat and the other options that are available.

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Comments (9)

Totally against de clawing. How would a human totally like their finger nails removed.De claw is the same thing.I just love Trigg with those colored nail caps.My boys would probley try and chew them off,but I would love to try them.Trigg looking cute as always!

i’m so opposed to this!! it should be illegal and is in other countries. why we allow this to happen in the us is beyond me. it’s mutilation and cruelty. if you don’t want claws, don’t get a cat. simple.

what did trigg think of those soft claws? i had a friend that put those on her cat and he hated them and pulled them off. then i had another thats cat didn’t mind them at all. i think they are cute but i know my cats wouldn’t stand for them. they don’t scratch the furniture though, they have too many scratchers all over the house and they love the cardboard to scratch on.

If a cat defecates outside of the litter box, do you give him a colostomy? Declawing is just as extreme.

The declawed cats with whom I’ve shared my heart and home all had spine, joint, tendon, foot and/or gait problems, progressing as they aged. What was not noticeable at three was crippling and debilitating at 10. To be unable to fly in a house designed for flying. To be unable to jump down from a cat tree or play furiously with wand toys without pain. To be unable to be a cat.

I have heard many reasons for declawing, some of them medical. If the occasional scratch presents a health hazard – and I’m not saying this in jest or to be snotty – perhaps one should not have a cat.

Thank you so much, Jenny, for doing this article to help educate and inform everyone about this horrible de-clawing issue. I have to say that when I was in my early 20’s, I had one of my cats declawed and regretted it because he had so many issues from liter box problems to behavioral problems. When I asked about it initially, was told that it was just like removing the nail without doing any harm to the cat. I was not ever told that they remove part of their TOES! Oh my gosh, when I found that out a few years later, I felt so horrible about what I had done and promised to never do it again. Now, all of my kitties from that era, the one with the declaw and the ones without, have passed over the rainbow bridge and have my two sweet baby Raggies (ages 2 3/4 yrs and 2 years, and our Maine Coon. Mari, the Maine Coon is our rescue who appeared outside in a bitter cold snowstorm on the back porch. Of course we took her in, but had no idea of the trauma she had endured. She had been declawed and before we could get her to be totally comfortable with being an inside cat and trusting us, she was further traumatized by the neighborhood tom who not only chased her, but bit her in her hind quarters making a really severe puncture wound that had to be drained while she was hospitalized for 3 days, then placed on antibiotics. After that, she was inside for life ensuring that she will always be safe.
That said, she has major trust issues and hated all women, including me. It has only been in the last 3 years, that she has pretty much accepted me, but still hums and low growls when I touch her sometimes. Being declawed has had other repercussions as far as her relationship with the other babies. She thinks that play is a part of aggression and think she probably relives being chased by that tom when they tried to chase her. It has taken such love and understanding by her two little siblings that she is finally accepting their play and I do catch a glimpse of them actually play chasing on some occasions.
Since I never had any of the other kitties declawed, we have an over abundance of different kinds of scratchers, none of which have carpet on them except for their own cat tree. Our furniture is totally different (leather) than the scratcher finishes, so I don’t think they have ever even thought about a possibility of scratching there when they much prefer sisal or cardboard thank goodness. Did try the nailcaps with my Angel, who passed in 2011, but it was always a trauma for her and always felt bad for doing it and worried that she would choke on it if she ate one because she was constantly preoccupied with it.
Anyway, hope someone will read this along with your informative article and know that declawing is really not the good way to go since it traumatizes and injures the kitties in so many ways with lasting negative effects.

Thanks for sharing your experiences, hon. Poor Miss Mariposa — she's been through so much. At least she has her loving Forever Home with you and your sweet hubby — best thing that ever happened to her!

I inherited my 2 sibling Ragdolls – Neo (m) and Seven (f)- from my brother and sis-in-law in 2010 as my nephew is allergic. They had both cats declawed when they had them fixed at 4 – 5 months old. I got them when they were 9 months old. In 2010, I had to have 2 of Seven’s toes fixed. In 2013, Neo had to have a toe redone. Now I have to have 2 toes redone on Seven and her dew claw. My sister-in-law had no idea what a declaw involved. She thought it was common practice. She knows better now. I hate to see my babies go through this. It just breaks my heart. Please, do not declaw your cats or any animal for that matter.

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About Jenny Dean

Hi, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt got the first Ragdoll cat in our family, I have loved the breed. Inspired by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags (pictured with me), I created Floppycats to connect, share and inspire other (Ragdoll) cat lovers around the world, hoping we all utilize this community to make a better life for our cats and for us with our cats and to make some great friendships along the way as well.

If you have a new Ragdoll kitten, I’d love for you to share them with us as Ragdoll Kitten of the Month. If you have a Ragdoll cat, I’d love for you to share them with us as Ragdoll of the Week. Thanks for stopping by!

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